ASSURING QUALITY OF LEARNING IN A BUILT ENVIRONMENT - A CASE STUDY OF THE UWI OPEN CAMPUS

This study discusses the challenges and opportunities of utilizing part-time contracted academics/tertiary level teaching staff delivering full-time programming on behalf of The University of the West Indies. This study also presents perceptions of students and personnel instrumental in delivery of programs while highlighting challenges of continuous quality assurance. In this case study the built environment refers to a space, learning environment created by the Open Campus, populated with learning materials whether courses or programs forums in which there is an expectation that persons choosing to participate in this setting will interact within a community of learners. The Open Campus is the youngest campus in The University of the West Indies System. The Campus evolved out of an amalgamation of UWIDITE/UWIDEC, the former Schools of Continuing Studies the Extra-Mural Department of The UWI has evolved into the School of Continuing Studies (SCS), which has used its extensive extra-mural experience to offer direct local and regional responses to the need for continuing knowledge, skills, professional development, research, and cultural identity throughout the Caribbean [1]. All of these developments in the application of telecommunications technology further fueled the expansion of the University's services in education, outreach and public service in the region. Retrieved from http://www.open.uwi.edu/about/history Currently The University of the West Indies Open Campus serves such Grenada, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, The Cayman Islands, The Commonwealth of Dominica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; and The University of the West Indies Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC). The strategic objective of The University of the West Indies amalgamation was to enhance the delivery of education through the region thereby building human capacity and development of local economies through enhanced online delivery of academic programs. In fulfilling the University's Strategic Mandate, the Open Campus built an environment that not only facilitated the delivery of programming via teleconference but through enhanced technologies via part-time University faculties.